In a shocking turn of events on the Fourth of July, a Texas mom found herself facing a terrifying encounter with a shark while enjoying a day at South Padre Island in the Gulf of Mexico. Tabatha Sullivent, along with her husband Cary, were among the unfortunate victims who fell prey to the lone shark's aggressive behavior while swimming in the shallow waters.

Recounting the harrowing incident from her hospital bed, Sullivent revealed that she initially believed the lurking predator to be a large fish. With the intention of kicking it away, she swiftly realized the grave mistake as the shark lunged at her, taking a bite out of her calf. "I turned around and saw something dark in the water. And I thought it was a big fish, and I was going to kick it away. That's when it grabbed me," Sullivent recalled.

Struggling to escape the predator's grip, Sullivent managed to swim towards safety by utilizing one leg and her arms, while her husband bravely fought off the relentless beast, sustaining multiple shark bites in the process. A chilling video captured by a witness showed the shark continuing to linger near the shore as bystanders rushed to assist Sullivent, applying a makeshift tourniquet to her injured leg.

Suffering severe injuries, Sullivent expressed the extent of the damage inflicted by the shark. "My leg is pretty much gone. They flushed it out today. It's all the way to the bone. It did not go through the bone," she revealed from her hospital bed. Despite the gruesome injury, the quick actions of her husband and the courageous efforts of beachgoers prevented a potentially fatal outcome.

Sullivent is scheduled to undergo another surgery on Tuesday, but the doctors are uncertain about the level of mobility she will regain. Meanwhile, the condition of the two other swimmers, who were also attacked by the same shark, remains unknown at this time.

Authorities from Texas Parks and Wildlife, who described the attacks as "abnormal and unprecedented," have emphasized that this is a rare incident in the region. The last shark attack recorded in the area occurred five years ago, making this recent wave of attacks all the more shocking.

As the investigation continues into the unusual shark behavior, beachgoers are reminded to remain vigilant and exercise caution while enjoying the waters off South Padre Island.